DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i11.070

Pages: 4551-4556

Haematological parameters are often needed to assist in the management of malaria infection. This study was conducted to determine the value of some haematological parameters and their effects among malaria parasites infected patients in kaduna State, Nigeria. A total 300 patients whose ages ranged from < 10 - > 60 years were investigated. Two point five milli litres of venous blood were collected from the ante-cubical vein into 0.04ml ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) bottle. Laboratory analysis was conducted using standardized techniques. The results were analysed using statistical package for social science software (SPSS) as well as student t-test. The result indicated significant difference in the hematological parameters between the positive and negative samples (p<0.05). Four out of the 7 parameters showed statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between positive and negative samples. Negative samples had mean values of 12.86 ± 0.17 and 38.60 ± 0.50 which were higher than 11.84 ± 0.27 and 35.51 ± 0.81 values of the positive samples for haemoglobin and packed cell volume respectively. Similarly, monocyte was significantly higher (t = 4.455; p < 0.001) in the negative samples (1.41 ± 0.04) than the positive samples (1.04 ± 0.07). Eosinophils also showed statistically significant difference (t = 9.051; p < 0.001) but the mean eosinophil was higher in the positive samples (1.75 ± 0.11) than the negative samples (0.72 ± 0.05). White blood cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils were not significantly different (p > 0.05) in the two groups of positive and negative samples. This present study has shown that malaria parasitaemia has significant effects on some of the haematological parameters considered. This implies that haematological parameters could be reliable and competent measures to diagnose severity of malaria infection, even at the early stages.